How to rid your garden of bad insects by attracting ladybugs

Ladybugs are your friends when it comes to gardening. They eat a variety of soft-bodied insects and bugs including aphids, mites, and more. Did you know even larval ladybugs eat aphids?!

So protect your garden and vegetable plants by attracting ladybugs to your plants. They are one of the most beneficial insects in the garden and most sought after by little kids exploring their yards! They love pollen almost as much as their buddies… the bees. Here are a few plants that attract ladybugs.

How to attract ladybugs to your home garden

Did you know you can buy ladybugs? So beyond just attracting them, you can plant things they love so they’ll stick around longer!

We spray their wings with sugar water before releasing so that it helps their wings stick without hurting them. This keeps them on our plants and in our garden longer.

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These are six ladybug-attracting plants and herbs. Welcome these cute little insects to your garden or patio space and tell other pesky bugs good-bye. Happy gardening!

Geranium

Geraniums are very low-maintenance flowers, which makes it easy to grow them in your garden. In addition, when you choose strong-scented geraniums, they also help to keep mosquitos at bay. It’s a win-win situation!

Cornflower

Cornflower, or blue button is a common plant that grows in lawns across North America. It most often has blue flowers but can occasionally be found with pink or white variations. Because of the flower’s high pollen production and brightly colored blooms, cornflower is sure to attract lots of ladybugs to your outdoor paradise.

Parsley

Parsley is an herb that’s often grown in gardens because it’s resilient and simple to grow. For gardeners, it’s a great source of antioxidants and it’s mildly bitter flavor pairs well with all kinds of dishes. Ladybugs love parsley because of its shape.

Butterfly Weed

Known for attracting insects of the same name, butterfly weed is popular in both the United States and Canada. Because of its nectar and bright colors, it’s also an attractive plant for ladybugs and other pollinators. You may even spot a hummingbird paying homage to your butterfly weed too.

Cilantro

Cilantro is a sweet herb with a strong aroma, tasty in a variety of different dishes. It’s also regularly used to protect other crops from aphids by drawing in some of their natural predators, such as ladybugs.

Queen Anne’s Lace

Otherwise known as wild carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace is a beneficial plant which grows abundantly across the US. Planting some in your garden typically leads to more sightings of ladybugs as well as bees and other pollinators.